Does Your Dog Listen to Music?

People like listening to music at home, in the car, in the supermarket, in the cafe and as well as many other locations. Like humans, dogs enjoy listening to music and have specific tastes in regards to sounds and styles. Many times, music can calm animals and make them much more comfortable, even in new surroundings. For example, your dog may hate riding in the car, but add some classical music to the equation and he may relax or even fall asleep!

Today, there is such a large list of music genres and styles to choose from, there are numerous choices including classical music, rock music, Blues, Jazz, Alternative, Folk, R&B, Funk, Hip Hop and many others. Dogs, much like their owners, have very different tastes and preferences when it comes to music. Not all dachshunds will enjoy listening to pop, just as not all people enjoy rap music.

Classical Music

Many people find that their dogs are much quieter when exposed to classical music. Aside from personal preference, why would dogs enjoy listening to classical music? The answers to this question can be found in many scientific studies. Classical music has been shown to lower blood pressure, relieve pain after surgery and help combat insomnia.

In order to find the difference between classical and other types of music, scientists conducted several experiments only to find that dogs reacted to classical music by sleeping more. These results suggest that dogs found this type of music to be very relaxing. The Animal Science researchers also found classical music more relaxing than playing this genre with ambient sounds added such as human conversation, another dog barking and birds chirping.

However, not all classical music has the same calming effect. Dogs reacted more favorably to slow and simple classical music scales with lower octaves when compared to compositions with higher notes and more complex scales. This suggests that music affects a dog’s overall mood, just as it does when people listen to their favorite tunes.

Other Music Genres

There have been other researches done on canines and their reactions to music, some of which have found that heavy mental, rock music and jazz increased dog anxiety levels. Additionally, when these genres were played, dogs would become more irritated.

When the heavy metal music genre was introduced, most dogs became quite agitated and began barking, creating such behaviors as agitation, vocalization and restlessness. Jazz music promoted hyperactivity among the dogs, such as shaking their bodies. The same happened when dogs listened to rap music, as most ran away from the music player.

It is important to note that not all dogs have the same tastes in music, and you may find that your dog is very different than other canines. He may enjoy pop music or look completely relaxed while listening to jazz. With some time and patience, you will learn to select the music genres that can calm your dog.

Music and the Howling Dog

If your pooch howls when you are listening to music, don’t worry! That does not mean that the sound of music is painful to his ears. Howling is one of many ways that dogs communicate. If your dog was in pain, he might hide in another room, bury his head underneath something, cover his ears with his paws or have a very depressed expression on his face.

There are two primary reasons for dogs to howl when they are exposed to music. First of all, it is important to remember that dogs are the descendants of wolves. Even though dogs are very different from wolves, the instinct to howl is still part of their genetic makeup. When your dog hears the high-pitched sounds of music, the howling instinct is triggered.

Your dog also howls as a form of communication. Because you are his best friend and he wants to please you, he will howl, thinking it is something you might want him to do. Most of the time, people believe that, when a dog howls, he is actually trying to sing along with the music, bringing laughter and entertainment to owners and family members.

Canine Benefits of Listening to Music

Considering all of the research that has been conducted, owners and veterinarians are now more likely than ever before to play music when dogs are anxious or exhibiting unpleasant behaviors. There are many other practical reasons to play music for your dog.

There have been great results reported when veterinary clinics played classical music. These results also confirmed that hospitalized dogs recovered at a faster rate when exposed to gentle music. This suggests that music not only is good for helping dogs relax and unwind, but also helped promote faster recovery from health problems. This suggests that both humans and animals may recover at a faster rate when they feel calm and relaxed.

Playing music can help owners by reducing the dog’s stress levels. When you are not at home, your canine companion may suffer from separation anxiety or exhibit housebreaking behavioral problems. Some owners have opted to use classical music as a way to soothe dogs, and reduce their barking and agitation levels. It also helps by reducing the dog’s loneliness by playing music for them, stimulating their mind and eliminating boredom. Classical music is a good medicament to incorporate into both physical and mental recovery.

Most people do not care for classical music, but their dogs love it very much. When you are exposing your dog to classical music, or any other genre, notice his reactions and responses. Experts suggest that owners should select slow, easy listening music rather than upbeat, fast and loud music. Avoid playing more than one sound source at a time to prevent dogs from being overexposed to noise.

In local pet shops, you can find special music CDs especially for dogs, or look online to find a better price. On this CD, the instrumentation will likely be a simple solo piano. These individual pieces have been selected to gradually reduce dogs’ heart rates and promote relaxation. Owners should choose a CD for dogs, featuring progressively slow rhythms and simplified auditory data. Your dog will enjoy this music feast!

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